Overview

IBM Session Manager for z/OS V1.1 is a session manager for
VTAM® and TCP/IP that provides a secure and user-friendly method of
accessing multiple OS/390® or z/OS systems from a single 3270 terminal.
Session Manager provides a password-protected single menu from which
users can access all applications running on any z/OS or OS/390 machine
in the network. It also provides logoff procedures, security checking,
audit logging and centralized administration, operations, and monitoring.
Its advantages include:

Greater user productivity

Reduced training requirements

Enhanced system usage

Increased security

Reduced costs

Simplified procedures for providing access to mainframe applications from
distributed or workstation programs

It can also reduce cost and effort associated with network administration
and bring benefits to helpdesk and operations personnel who can easily
view user problems. In addition, it offers centralized user ID
administration and the ability to broadcast messages to end users.

Key Prerequisites

One of:

OS/390 V2.10

z/OS (any level)

Planned Availability Date

January 31, 2003

Description

Session Manager for z/OS V1.1 is a VTAM or TCP/IP session manager,
providing secure and user-friendly access to multiple z/OS or OS/390
systems from a single 3270 terminal. Many users in the course of their
work need to switch between applications. Session Manager acts as an
intermediary between the end user and the applications. It provides the
user with a single secure signon, and then allows access to all their
applications from multiple concurrent virtual sessions. Users can switch
between sessions with ease, or from the menu the user can point and click
to create a new session to another VTAM or TCP/IP application. Session
Manager includes all the tools and facilities required to provide
administration, security, systems and performance management, as well as
problem determination. It provides many features and facilities which
enable end users to improve their productivity, including:

Only a single keystroke or simple command is required from a menu panel
to connect a user to a critical application. In addition, by using the
Panel and Script Language to pre-process input, commands can also have
alternative forms.

The user can switch between sessions with ease. Easy-to-use session
switching permits movement from one application to another with a single
keystroke.

Redundant and time-consuming logons/logoffs and application switching are
eliminated.

Session Manager maintains a user's sessions to applications even if the
user's session to Session Manager is ended.

Session Manager's messaging facilities improve user communications.

The ability to build installation-specific panel and menu layouts easily
makes it easier for users to access their applications. This also allows
the creation of a common look and feel to all applications.

Multiple applications can be viewed at the same time. The windows
facility allows displays from multiple applications to be viewed
simultaneously. The Cut and Paste facility allows information to be
copied between the different application views.

The demonstration facility provides education and conferencing
capabilities that allow from 1 to 999 users to participate in a central
session where, for example, new users could be educated or existing users
briefed on a new application.

The Record-Replay facility gives users the ability capture session
details for education, or perhaps to be viewed later as part of a problem
determination effort.

The Script Facility

The Script facility is provided by the SCRIPT statement. Each script has
a unique name, and defines a set of executable parameters which can be
thought of as a small program. There are numerous parameters that can be
used, and scripts are in consequence very flexible and can perform many
different functions. In general, however, most scripts fall into one of
the following categories:

Session scripts

Exit scripts

Command scripts

Windows scripts

Application Builder scripts

Session Manager provides a special language, the Panel and Script
Language, which enables logic to be added to scripts. Scripts can be
paused until certain output is received, for example from an application,
and continuation of the script can be made conditional. Input from the
terminal may be mapped into variables, passed onto an application, or
passed to another script. Scripts can also be nested up to any level.

Session Scripts:
Session Manager can pass data streams to an application
automatically. This can be done without any terminal input from the
user. A session script, as its name suggests, relates to a specific
application session, or session parameter. There are two other scripts
associated with sessions, which run before a session start and after a
session end. These scripts do not communicate with the application.
Session scripts are subdivided into six categories:

INITSCRIPTs  invoked before the application is initiated

EVIRONSCRIPTs  invoked when the application has been contacted

STARTSCRIPTs  invoked after the Environscript has run

AUTOSCRIPTs  invoked by a user entering a key sequence

ENDSCRIPTs  invoked to terminate the application session

TERMSCRIPTs  invoked after application session has terminated

Any of the above can also carry out Application Builder functions (see
below) by use of certain Application Builder verbs. These verbs enable a
script to selectively combine data output from one or more sessions and
present it on a single panel.

Exit Scripts:
Exit scripts can be defined to run in place of many of the exit
points of the Session Manager User Exit. It can be defined to run in
place of, or in addition to, most assembler/COBOL exit points of the
Session Manager User Exit. This is achieved by specifying the exit point
name and the option "S" on the OPTION statement. A script of the form
EXITxx must be defined for the relevant exit, where xx is the exit point.
For example, if "E33 S" is specified on the OPTION statement, a script
EXIT33 will be called.

Command Scripts:
Command scripts can be defined to run in place of Session Manager
defined commands. Therefore, a Command script can be run in place of
Session Manager logic to action the command. This is enabled by the
CMDSCRIPT parameter of the COMMAND statement. If CMDSCRIPT is specified
but no scriptname is provided, Session Manager attempts to run a script
with the same name as the command. If a scriptname is provided, it is
this script that is run in place of the command.

Windows Scripts:
A windows script relates to the Session Manager windows feature, and
is not session-specific. Depending on the contents of the script, the
terminal screen is divided into areas. Each area usually contains its
own command input field, so that each area can perform its own function.
Typically, several sessions can be active and viewable simultaneously.

Application Builder Scripts:
An Application Builder script relates to the Application Builder
feature. These scripts are session scripts, but they have special
parameters that enable output from multiple sessions to be combined
selectively and presented on a single panel. Additionally, output from
one or more sessions may be used as input to any other session or
sessions.

This is achieved by running Application Builder scripts on each of the
sessions concerned. In addition to the normal session script processing,
an Application Builder script can start and stop a session, run a script
on a specified session, and halt scripts that are in progress on any
session. Details from any part of an application screen can be copied to
a variable and data can be sent to, and received from, a script running
on another session.

TCP/IP Support

Support for TCP/IP in Session Manager uses the TELNET application server
support via the TN3270 protocol; client support is via the TN3270,
VT100/VT200, ANSI, or Network Virtual Terminal (NVT) protocols of TELNET.

Any TN3270 client can access Session Manager as a server using the TN3270
Telnet server support within the TCP/IP stack (which creates a virtual LU
in VTAM for Session Manager). For users of Session Manager running
TCP/IP interfaces, Session Manager TN3270 Server Support provides an
alternative method which can be more efficient and also enables Session
Manager to operate without VTAM. With Session Manager TN3270 Server
Support, TCP/IP users running TN3270 can connect directly to a Session
Manager signon or menu panel. Session manager then acts as a TCP/IP
Telnet server.

TELNET/TN3270 Client Support:
This provides access to remote applications running on any host
connected over a TCP/IP network. It allows a Session Manager user to
have one or more TCP/IP Telnet Client connections. These appear as
conventional Session Manager sessions that are configurable in the normal
way and which coexist with any other conventional sessions. NVT is
supported by most Telnet Servers and is a line mode interface. If the
Server can support the full screen TN3270 connection, then this is used
by default in preference to the line mode NVT connection. NVT provides
simple "line-by-line" terminal support using the Telnet NVT protocol.
The TN3270 session appears identical to a conventional Session Manager
session.

This facility allows a Session Manager user to access and run any Server
application that is available to the TCP/IP network. The host on which
that application runs must have a Telnet Server supporting NVT. The
Session Manager user interacts with the remote application using the 3270
terminal (or PC emulated 3270) in line-by-line mode.

The Performance Monitor

Session Manager provides two types of performance monitoring routine.
The first is a monitoring routine to gather performance data on itself.
The second provides session level statistics on network and application
response times.

Session Manager's monitoring routine to gather performance data about
itself is part of the User Exit module and is invoked every ten minutes.
The length of an interval may vary on a low-activity system because the
exit may not be invoked. The records are held in storage in a
wrap-around table containing 100 records. The exit can be amended to
write the records to a file. In MVS, for example, SMF records could
be written.

The performance data obtained by Session Manager on the network and
applications can be viewed from the Menu panel. The panel can be paged
forwards and backwards and, because the records are wrapped, the latest
record is always highlighted. Data does not appear during the first 20
minutes after Session Manager initiation, but from that point on, it is
produced at 10-minute intervals. The data displayed includes the date
and time that each record has been created and the elapsed time of the
interval. On a system where the exit is regularly invoked, each interval
will be approximately 600 seconds. For each interval, it shows the
average number of inputs and outputs per second to all the active
sessions. The session outputs figure includes non-visible outputs, even
those that are discarded.

Other Functions

The other principal functions offered by Session Manager are:

Messaging  Message transmission is supported by three commands:

MSG is generally available to all users. In its simplest form, the MSG
command would be issued by a user to send a message to another user or
terminal. It can also be used to send a message to a group of users.

BROADCAST is typically secured for use by authorized users only. This
command is intended to be used by systems programmers, network
controllers, or other systems administrators. It is similar to the MSG
command but destinations may be specified generically, enabling a message
to be sent to a greater number of users and, in addition, the ALL operand
can be used to send a message to every user connected to Session Manager.

FLASH is intermediate between MSG and BROADCAST in security terms, and
may be issued by users. It can be used to update the system flash area,
the session flash area for a specific application, and also user
definable global character variables.

Windows  Several sessions can be displayed simultaneously on one
normal 3270 screen, together with control areas. Windows can be
positioned anywhere on the physical screen and may be moved or resized at
any time. Each window can display output from a session, or a Session
Manager panel. No changes are required to the applications. The Session
Manager system provides ready-to-use window script samples.

Cut and Paste  This feature enables data from one session to be copied
(without deletion) into the same or another session.

Hardcopy  This facility may be made available to all, or to selected
users. It enables the user to take a hardcopy of the current screen
image merely by pressing a key, typing a defined character sequence, or
entering the HARDCOPY command. The screen image can be an application
screen or a Session Manager panel.

Spy  This facility is normally intended for users with a high security
clearance, such as system administrators, network controllers, or
technical support staff. It can also be useful for helpdesk personnel.
It enables authorized users to view simultaneously the screen contents
currently displayed at the terminal of another Session Manager user.
When used, for example, for technical support, it is valuable when the
end user is at a different location, or to enable support to immediately
see a screen display where a problem is reported.

Demonstration and View  This facility enables the input and output
screen displays at one terminal to be shown automatically on up to 999
other terminals. The screen displays can be application screens or
Session Manager screens. The controlling screen is known as the
demonstrating terminal, and is enabled as such by the use of the Session
Manager DEMO command. It has additional commands and facilities
available to monitor terminals that are viewing the demonstration. The
other terminals are known as viewers, and function by entering the VIEW
command, specifying the demonstrator's user ID as a parameter. The
viewer can exit from the demonstration at any time or rotate to other
windows, or escape to the menu.

This enables a user to demonstrate a system to an authorized group of
users, as a simple and cost-effective method of training.

Networking  This facility of Session Manager allows communication
between tasks running on two or more Session Manager systems. The
networking facility requires both:

Session Manager running on all CPUs or LPARs in the network.

The machines in which it is running connected by either a real or virtual
Channel-to-Channel Adapter (CTCA), dedicated to Session Manager's use, or
by a VTAM session (either cross-domain or local domain).

Network communication is possible using intermediate nodes as well as the
adjacent nodes. If there is a choice in routing, the shortest route is
always used. Once a link to another system is activated, the initiating
system automatically determines whether other systems are accessible in
the network.

Push-Pull  This facility enables screen images to be saved in storage
for later reference. Each user may save screens up to an individually
defined maximum and may only reference their own saved screens. All the
saved images are deleted when a user logs off from Session Manager, but
the Hardcopy facility can be used to obtain a permanent copy when
required.

Application Builder  This facility enables a new application to be
"built" by combining the output from one or more applications. Output is
gathered selectively from two or more sessions and presented together on
the screen. The information gathered may be presented in any desired
layout on the screen by using a panel definition. In addition, any
chosen output from a session can be used as script input to another
session. This is achieved by running scripts on each of the sessions
concerned. As with normal input scripts, each can provide input to its
application, await output, and scan the output for various content.
However, using the Application Builder verbs, each script can also:

Start a session

Terminate any specified session

Run a specified script on any particular session

Halt a script in progress on any particular session

Copy any part of its application screen to a variable

Send variable data to a script running on another session

Receive variable data from a script running on another session

Record-Replay  This function automatically records all input and
output data streams for the initiating terminal, up to a maximum number
of records set by a limit parameter. When this limit is reached, the
oldest records are dropped. When recording an application, both inputs
and outputs are recorded. However, if the terminal is put in Spy or View
mode, only outputs are recorded, since the recording terminal "sees" no
inputs.

This facility can be useful when a Session Manager user needs to record
screens which have been acquired by spying or viewing another user. This
could be for educational purposes, as it allows the recording user to
view the screens later at leisure. It may also be of use to systems
programmers for problem solving, particularly when the user encountering
the problem is at a remote location. It is also possible to record
screens acquired by spying on a user who is replaying. A permanent copy
of any screen can be obtained using the hardcopy command sequence or key.

In addition, system programmers will find the Dump and Data Stream
Analysis replay formats invaluable in solving problems in online systems,
since these formats enable detailed examination of buffer control codes
and attribute bytes.

Data Stream Optimization  The Session Manager network data minimizer,
also known as the "MISER," compresses both inbound and outbound data
streams by transmitting only changes that have been made to the data.
This significantly increases network throughput, enabling better terminal
response times, improving end-user productivity. It can also resolve
bottlenecks.

This facility works on outbound data streams by examining the data and
dynamically compressing it to ensure that only changed data is sent to
the terminals. It also eliminates repetitive characters and trailing
nulls. As a result, the buffer size of a display typically runs at only
1 to 2K bytes, and almost never exceeds 4K. The facility can also reduce
inbound data streams. One way in which this is done is by setting off
the Modified Data Tag (MDT) in all outbound data streams; Session Manager
recognizes in the inbound data stream where the MDT tag needs to be
re-inserted. It also changes unnecessary uses of the Read Buffer (RBUF)
command to Read Modified (RMOD); again, Session Manager builds the
equivalent of the data stream that would have resulted from an RBUF
command.

Security  Session Manager provides additional security checking which
is performed via the SAF interface, so that it integrates with existing
security software such as RACF®.

Online administration  This allows for the definition and maintenance
of System, Group, Profile, User, and Terminal definitions.

Help  A comprehensive set of help panels is provided, which can be
accessed from any of the Session Manager panels, such as the Menu screen,
Signon screen, and Data Display screens, using the HELP command. The
main help panel is displayed on first access to the Help system. This
has a menu showing the categories for which help is available. The
required option can be selected by number or by entering the name of the
option in the command area.

Accessibility by People with Disabilities

The Hummingbird® HostExplorer terminal emulator was used for
screenreaders testing. A WindowEyes set file for the Hummingbird
emulator or a Jaws script for the Hummingbird emulator is needed. Set
and script files may be obtained from the screen reader vendor. Testing
has not been carried out with other emulators; however, they are likely
to work if the relevant set file or script file is available.

Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act

The following features support use by people with disabilities:

Operation by keyboard alone

Optional font enlargement and high-contrast display settings

Screen readers and screen magnifiers tested for use by people with visual
impairment

Suitable for people with hearing impairment

Session Manager has been tested for use by people with visual impairment
using both Jaws and WindowEyes screen readers.

Softcopy documentation in .pdf format is shipped for use with the
product. This documentation supports optional font enlargement and
high-contrast display settings, and may be operated by the keyboard
alone. Alternative text is not provided for screen-reader users;
however, fully accessible softcopy documentation, with alternative text
for diagrams, will be made available on request.

Value Unit Based Pricing

Value Unit based pricing will help to align the prices of this product to
the principle of the PSLC pricing curve which provides for a lower price
per MSU (millions of service units per hour) for larger capacities.

There is also a price benefit when customers grow their capacity.
Additional capacity will based on the number of Value Units (MSUs) the
customer has already installed, for example, additional capacity will not
be priced starting at the base with a higher price per unit but on the
capacity that is already installed.

Note that Value Units of a given product cannot be exchanged,
interchanged, or aggregated with Value Units of another product.

IPLA and Subscription and Support Considerations

IPLA licenses can be transferred from one machine to another within, but
not limited to, an enterprise. The customer may aggregate the capacity
for all the processors the product is operated on to achieve a more
economic price. This will result in a single Proof of Entitlement (PoE).
It is the customer's responsibility to manage the distribution of Value
Units within the limits of the entitlement of the product license.

Subscription and Support must cover the same capacity as the product
license entitlement. Subscription and Support will be available in the
country in which the agreement is made.

Product Positioning

Session Manager is intended for customers running a range of applications
on mainframe systems, with end users accessing these applications at 3270
terminals or workstations running 3270 emulators. The customers may be
using VTAM, typically with LU6.2 or 3270 connections, or TCP/IP. It
provides the end users with a simple way of accessing these applications
seamlessly, together with a wide range of other valuable facilities.

Trademarks

z/OS and MVS are trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.

VTAM, OS/390, RACF, and Hummingbird are registered trademarks of
International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other
countries or both.

Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service
marks of others.

3480 1/2-inch tape cartridge containing a CBPDO or other Customized
Offering delivery of the product

Security, Auditability, and Control

Session Manager for z/OS V1.1 uses the security and auditability features
of the base operating system under which it is operating. It also
produces its own audit logs, providing a full audit trail for all users.

The customer is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation
of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls
in application systems and communication facilities.

Ordering Information

Session Manager for z/OS V1.1 is licensed under the IBM International
Program License Agreement (IPLA). It has a single charge unit, based on
Value Units.

Value Units for IBM 9672 Processors will be based upon the full capacity
of these systems. This is applicable to all S/390-based systems that are
measured on MSU capacity. Information on MSU capacities can be found in
the IBM System/370, System/390® and zSeries Machine Exhibit
(Z125-3901).

Value Units for zSeries will be based upon full MSU capacity as defined
in the Machine Exhibits.

There will be a tool available that provides support for transforming the
MSU-based capacities of S/390 systems to new Value Units by calculating
the applicable number of Value Units for a given number of MSUs.

Ordering Example:
The total number of Value Units is calculated according to the
following example.

If the customer has installed 1,500 MSUs, the applicable Value Units
would be:

Basic License:
To order, specify the program number and the OTC feature number.
Also specify the feature number of the desired distribution medium. To
suppress shipment of media, select the license-only option in CFSW.

Subscription and Support:
To receive voice technical support via telephone during normal
business hours and future releases and versions at no additional charge,
order Subscription and Support. The capacity of Subscription and Support
(Value Units) must be the same as the capacity ordered for the product
licenses.

To order, specify the support program number. IBM is also providing
Subscription and Support for this product via a separately purchased
offering under the terms of the IBM International Agreement for
Acquisition of Support (IAAS). This offering:

Includes and extends the support services provided in the base support to
include technical support via telephone during normal business hours.

Entitles customers to future releases and versions at no additional
charge. Note that the customer is not entitled to new products.

Once Subscription and Support is ordered, the charges will renew
automatically annually unless cancelled by the customer.

Annual
Support
Charge
Program Feature
Description Number Number
Subscription and Support for 5655-J98
Session Manager for z/OS
1 Value Unit 0001
250 Value Units 0002
Decline SW Subscription and 0003
Support (no charge)

Customization Options:
Select the appropriate feature numbers to customize your order with
delivery options desired. These features can be specified on the initial
or MES orders.

Expedite shipments will be processed to receive 72-hour delivery from the
time IBM Software Delivery and Fulfillment (SDF) receives the order. SDF
will then ship the order via overnight air transportation.

Terms and Conditions

Sub-Capacity Charges Terms and Conditions

IBM
zSeries software charges at less than full machine capacity for eligible
z/OS Tools apply when z/OS is running in z/Architecture (64 bit) mode
on a zSeries 900, no other MVS-based operating system is licensed to
that server, and the required information is provided by the customer in
accordance with the applicable terms.

Sub-capacity charges for an eligible z/OS Tool are based on the z/OS
product defined capacity. To obtain charges at less than full machine
capacity for eligible z/OS Tools, the customer is required to:

Determine the MSUs needed for each machine on which the tools will run.
Only machines on which the customer has implemented sub-capacity
Workstation License Charges (WLC) according to the above terms and
conditions are eligible for charges at less than full machine capacity
for the tools.

Use the product defined capacity for z/OS (as specified on the
Sub-Capacity Reports submitted to IBM for sub-capacity WLC) as the
sub-capacity (MSUs) for each tool.

Submit any additional MSUs and/or Value Units required for each product
along with the current entitlement in Value Units for each product.

Sub-Capacity Charges for z/OS Tools

To be eligible for sub-capacity charges for z/OS Tools, the machine on
which the z/OS Tools are running must be eligible for WLC sub-capacity
charges terms and conditions. The customer must have signed the
Attachment for zSeries Workload License Charges-Pre-ILM (Z125-6516) and
submitted at least one Sub-Capacity Report to IBM as defined in the
attachment.

With sub-capacity charges, the charge for an eligible z/OS Tool is based
on the z/OS product defined capacity. To obtain charges at less than
full machine capacity for each eligible z/OS Tool for each machine, the
customer should:

Determine the MSUs needed for the machine on which the tools will run.
In a data sharing environment, determine the aggregate MSUs needed on the
machine where the tools run. Use the product defined capacity (MSUs) for
z/OS (as specified on the Sub-Capacity Reports submitted to IBM for
sub-capacity WLC) as the sub-capacity (MSUs) for each tool.

Submit any additional MSUs and/or Value Units required for each product
along with the current entitlement in Value Units for each product.

If the use of sub-capacity pricing terms for z/OS Tools results in a
reduced requirement for Value Units, thus freeing up entitlements,
customers can reallocate the entitlement difference by distributing the
Value Units across a larger or different set of systems, or reserve them
for future growth. There will be no refunds for these freed up Value
Units. Subscription and Support volumes and entitlements for existing
contracts will continue to be at the same levels as the acquired
licenses.

Management of the Value Unit entitlements continues to be a customer
responsibility. If one of the following occur on a machine to which z/OS
Tools are licensed, the customer must determine if additional Value Units
and Subscription and Support need to be ordered for those tools to cover
the increase:

The z/OS defined capacity is increased.

The requirements for WLC sub-capacity charges are no longer met.

Licensing:
IBM International Program License Agreement. Proofs of Entitlement
(PoEs) are required for all authorized use.

The following agreement applies for maintenance and does not require
customer signatures:

IBM Agreement for Acquisition of Support (Z125-6011)

This product is licensed under the IBM Program License Agreement (IPLA),
the associated Agreement for Acquisition of Support, and the Addendum for
Support (Z125-6435), which provides for support with ongoing access to
releases and versions of the program. This program has a one-time
license charge for use of the program and an ongoing recurring charge for
the enhanced support that includes telephone assistance (voice support
for defects during normal business hours) as well as access to updates,
releases, and versions of the program while support is in effect. S/390
and zSeries IBM Operational Support Services  Support Line is an
option for those customers who desire added services.

Limited Warranty Applies:
Yes

Program Services:
This program has program services for a minimum of one year from
acquisition from IBM or authorized Business Partner.

Program Support:
Enhanced Support, called Subscription and Support, includes
telephone assistance (voice support for defects during normal business
hours) as well as access to updates, releases, and versions of the
program as long as support is in effect. The customer will be notified
of discontinuance of support with 12 months' notice.

Available Until:
December 31, 2004

Money-Back Guarantee:
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with the program, return it
for a refund within 30 days from the invoice date to the party (either
IBM or its reseller) from whom you acquired it. This applies only to
your first acquisition of the program.

Copy and Use on Home/Portable Computer:
No

Volume Orders (IVO):
No

Passport Advantage Applies:
No

Software Maintenance Applies:
No

For operating system software, the revised IBM Operational Support
Services  Support Line offering will provide support for those
operating systems and associated products that are not available with the
newly announced Software Maintenance offering. This will ensure total
support coverage for your enterprise needs, including IBM and selected
non-IBM products. For complete lists of products supported under both
the current and revised Support Line offering, refer to our Web site at:

Prices

The prices provided in this announcement are suggested retail prices for
the U.S. only and are provided for your information only. Dealer prices
may vary, and prices may also vary by country. Prices are subject to
change without notice. For additional information and current prices,
contact your local IBM representative.

Global Financing

IBM Global Financing offers competitive financing to credit-qualified
customers to assist them in acquiring IT solutions. Our offerings
include financing for IT acquisition, including hardware, software, and
services, from both IBM and other manufacturers or vendors. Offerings
(for all customer segments: small, medium, and large enterprise), rates,
terms, and availability can vary by country. Contact your local IBM
Global Financing organization or visit the Web at: